ATLANTA, -- Georgia State clinched a 1-0 victory over Georgia Southern on Friday, October 13th, at the Georgia State Soccer Complex. The game's decisive goal came in the 77th minute courtesy of Justin McLean.

The game kicked off with an intense pace as both teams registered shots within the first 12 minutes. Georgia State then went on to fire the next five shots over the following 10 minutes. One notable opportunity came in the 13th minute when Hideto Gondo had the best chance but saw his shot saved by the opposing goalkeeper.

Georgia Southern managed to launch the last two shots of the half, with one of them requiring Josue Hangi to make a critical save to keep the score level at 0-0 going into halftime.

The first half lived up to the expectations of a physical in-state rivalry game, seeing Gavin Williams and Evan Schroeder earn yellow cards for Georgia State, along with one Georgia Southern player. The half concluded with Georgia State leading in shots five to three, and the teams were tied in shots on target with one apiece.

Georgia Southern launched into the second half with a burst of energy, testing the Panthers with a shot on goal in the 47th minute. However, Georgia State's keeper, Josue Hangi, rose to the occasion, deflecting the shot for a corner kick. In the 56th minute, Southern crafted another significant opportunity, forcing yet another brilliant save from Hangi.

The Panthers swiftly regrouped, reasserting themselves in the second half. In the 55th minute, Bryan Akongo demonstrated his incredible speed and dribbling skills as he zoomed past defenders on the far side of the pitch, creating an excellent scoring opportunity that narrowly missed its mark. In the 61st minute, Bryan Silva followed up with the Panthers' first shot on goal for the half. Although the Southern goalkeeper managed to make the save, they delayed in restarting play, prompting the referee to take action due to multiple prior warnings about time-wasting. As a result, the Panthers were awarded an indirect free kick from inside the box. They opted for a short play, and Oliver Hlynsson unleashed a powerful strike that just sailed over the crossbar, keeping the score locked at 0-0.

In the 76th minute, Georgia Southern managed to get a shot on goal, which Josue Hangi confidently handled for a comfortable save. Following this save, the Panthers swiftly transitioned into an attacking play. A long ball was launched down the field, finding Simon Carlson, who skillfully distributed the ball to Justin McLean. McLean executed a beautifully coordinated give-and-go with Tom Williams, and with a skillful touch, he delivered a spectacular right-footed spinning chip shot that gracefully arched over the goalkeeper and nestled into the back of the net, breaking the deadlock and giving the Panthers the lead.

Frustration would start to mount for Southern as they would receive back-to-back yellow cards in the 81st and 83rd minute. The Panthers would call upon Josue Hangi for one more crucial save in the final minute of the game to clinch a 1-0 victory against their in-state rival, Georgia Southern.

Bryan Akongo and Justin McLean led the way with four shots each, and Josue Hangi made five crucial saves to secure a clean sheet for the Panthers.

The victory improved Georgia State's record to 5-4-4 overall and 2-2-1 in (SBC) play. It also marked the sixth consecutive win against Georgia Southern. 

The Panthers will hit the road on Wednesday, October 18th, for their matchup against Kentucky.

For all things Georgia State soccer, follow the team on social (@gsumenssoccer) as the Panthers continue the 2023 season.